What to Do After Retirement? Plan It Before You Retire

For many people what to do after retirement is a dilemma…make sure you have a plan beforehand.

How many times have you heard…She worked hard all her life and died the year she retired. That sadly can happen to anyone. You have a better chance of having a long, happy retirement if you plan and set goals for things you want to accomplish.

Don’t be this person…When a retiree was asked what advice he could give to a person just retiring, he replied “Don’t go to the bank and the post office the same day”…That does not sound like a person I want to become.
We retired 14 years ago. We started planning 4 years beforehand. We started by making 2 lists, you should too.

We listed our goals of things we never wanted to do again and what things we wanted to do after retirement.

It is very important for both spouses to write their own lists. It can be eye opening if you have vastly differing objectives. The sooner you come up with a blended list, with both sides happy, the better. Determining what to do after retirement, should not be a source of conflict.

Your dislikes and hopes will be different than ours, write them down. It is important to be clear about these 2 areas.

You should feel that you are retiring to something and not just away from a job or boss you can’t stand. If you say all I want to do is relax, you will quickly become bored…plus it is not healthy.

If writing these lists seems difficult, deal with it now. It may save you from making an expensive mistake later on.

Rent first

If at all possible, try the things that you say you want to accomplish in retirement. For instance if you want to retire in RV, rent one and take a 2 week trip before purchasing a new one. This makes sense for more than just seeing if you like it.

A new RV loses a lot of its value when you drive it off the lot. If you are renting one and discover it is just not for you for whatever reason you haven’t lost that much money.

Same thing if you are relocating. Go spend a few weeks at the chosen spot. Rent a home, not a B and B or hotel, or an apartment where you will be doing things just like you would if you lived there.

Try to live, not like a tourist but as a resident. There is a huge difference. Cook a few meals, do your laundry, go to the library, check for banks, etc. Get a real feel for the chosen spot.

Ask current residents what do they like and dislike about the place you are considering. Network, get involved. This will either reinforce the decision you made or give you pause to think.

When relocating either in the US or abroad…rent before you buy. I retired from real estate. I know this statement will not make me any friends with realtors. Try before you buy…it’s the prudent thing to do.

Retire to something and you will be excited about each new day. Plan, plan and plan some more…it will pay off for you like it did for us.

What to do after retiring is not a question you should be asking yourself. It would be more appropriate to ask…How am I going have enough time to do all these activities.